Stock distribution system



1952' T. s. SKILLMAN s'rocx DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM Filed 0ct. 2, 1947 FIG. I

' Inventor Thmnas S. Skillmmz By WW6? Patented Feb. 5, 1952 STOCK DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM Thomas Samuel Skillman, Mosman, near'Sydney,

New South Wales, Australia, assignor to Punch Engineering Pty. Limited, Cammeray, near Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, a company of New South Wales, Australia Application October 2, 1947, Serial No. 777,562 In Australia October 14, 1946 11 Claims.

. g The invention relates to stock distribution systems and more particularly to such systems in which perishable food has to be dispensed.

Perishable food can be safely stored only in suitable refrigeration chambers and therefore difficulties arise when such food shall be included in an article dispensing system.

According to the invention the dispensing system includes a refrigeration chamber which contains means for the storage of articles and for the automatic release of articles selected therefrom. Furthermore means are provided for jog- .gling stored articles to avoid freezing together and conveyor means are used to convey released articles from the refrigeration chamber to a predetermined locality.

It is a further feature of the invention to store the articles in a refrigeration chamber on movable belts and to arrange the driving means for these movable belts as well as for conveyor means common to a plurality of movable-belts outside the refrigeration chamber, to avoid a freezing up. g

It is another feature of the invention to arrange a, collector belt inside the refrigeration chamber and to discharge articles selected from movable storage belts through a chute arranged in one wall of the refrigeration chamber. This chute is normally closed by a flap to avoid the entrance of warm air into the refrigeration chamber. 7

According to a further feature of the invention the movable belts inside the refrigeration chamber are started in predetermined time intervals to avoid a freezing up of the mechanism and a freezing of the articles to the belts and to each other. For this purpose the storage belts are provided with cleats and special arrangements are made to avoid any ejection of the articles when the belts are started. The storage belts glide underneath the articles and the cleats on these belts convey a rocking or joggling'movement to the articles, thus avoiding freezing together of articles and belts.

It is still another feature. of the invention to provide a rubber'envelope enclosing the contact arrangements in'the refrigeration chamber. This rubber envelope which is air-tight ensures that the contacts are not affected by the cold.

These and other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description which refers to an embodiment of the invention and two modifications illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which: 1

' Fig. 1 shows schematically a cross-section 2 through a refrigeration chamber according to the invention,

Fig. 2 shows details of this arrangement. I Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show two modifications of th common conveyor means shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. l a refrigeration chamber I contains three movable belts 2 on which articles are stored and which work together with a common collector belt 3. It must be understood that the number of movable belts in the refrigeration chamber depends solely on the size of the refrigeration chamber and the number of various kinds of articles to be stored on the movable belts.

The refrigeration chamber I is provided witha door 4 which opens at the back of the belts 2 to enable an easy re-loading of the movable belts. The movable belts 2 are guided underneath the collector belt 3 and brought out through openings in the wall of the refrigeration chamber to appropriate driving means 5 so that each movable belt can be individually connected, for example,

by a clutch l5 witha common driving means IT. The driving means 6 for the collector belt Scan be connected by a clutch [6 with a motor I8 or the common driving means and is also arranged outside the refrigeration chamber. v

The collector belt 3 ends over a chute I mounted in one wall of the refrigeration chamber and normally closed by a flap 8. Flap 9 connects the movable belts 2 with the common collector belt 3 and carries contact arrangements l0 which are operated whenever articles from a movable belt 2 are released to the collector belt 3. Each contact arrangement 10 is preferably mounted at the back of flap 9 and is operated by a T-shaped con tact spring extending through an orifice in flap '9 into the path of released articles as for example described in-my copending Patent No. 2,575,847 which matured from application No. 777,561 filed October 2, 1947, for Storage Systems.

Details of the arrangement described above are I shown in Fig. 2. A movable belt 2 is guided underneath the collector belt 3 through an opening l2 in the wall of the refrigeration chamber and connected with the driving means 5. The opening [2 may be partly closed by flaps of suitable resilient material which permits the movable belt 2 to slide through, but which otherwise restricts air flow into the refrigeration chamber I.

Belt 2 and belt 3 are connected by the flap 9 bearing the contact arrangement I0 as described in connection with Fig. 1.

As already mentioned the collector belt 3 ends on the chute! mounted in one wall of the refrigeration chamber. This chute is normally closed by a flap 8 which opens automatically whenever articles are released from the belt 3 into the chute I.

To avoid a freezing-up of the device in the refrigeration--chamber, the storage belts -2 as well as the common conveyor belt 3 are started up by a timing device 14 (Fig. l) in predetermined intervals. The timing device l4 may, for example, be a clockwork mechanism, a revolving .contact drum, or any suitable form of motor 'driventimer. At the same time flap 9 is automatically raised by an electromagnetically op'erateddevice' I 9 (Fig. 1)so that the articles on storage'beltl cannot leave this belt and the belt'slides underneath the articles. The belt 2 (Fig. 2) is provided with cleats I l spaced in suitable intervals which when sliding underneath the articles convey azjoggling or rocking movement to these articles to avoid freezing together.

The timing device M (Fig 1) disconnects the clutches l-5 after-a short time thus stoppingithe movement of the movable belts and at the same time operates :device lfltolower flap 9 so that the whole arrangement-is-now re-set forworkingcondition. V

Flap 9 and the-variouscontacts Hlarepreferablyenclosed in an air-tight rubber envelope to ensure that the contactswouldnot get frosted-up.

Many modi'fications of the arrangement described above are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Instead of using a common collector belt arranged totally inside the refrigeration chamber, a collector belt can -beused which passes through the wallsof the refrigeration-chamber as shown in Fig. 3. Inthiscase the opening 2 in the wall of the refrigeration chamber :1 through which the belt 13 passes in both directionsis closed by a flap 2-l similartoflap 8 in chute E. To avoid a pumping of hot air into the refrigeration chamber by a permanently running collector belt, this collector belt would only be started when a selection of articles is actuallymade and-"otherwise would remain stationary. In this .case clutch 4 6 (Fig. 1) would be operated together with the clutches for the release or articles from-the movable belts, anda delaying device23 (which might for example be a slow-release relay) would ensure a delayed stopping of the common conveyor belt so that the articles 'seleoted from the most distant: movable ibelt would be safely discharged.

in Fig. 4 thecommon-collector belt :replaced by a'chain of receptacles '22-linkedan'd moving together. The opening fli-inthe'wallof therefrigera'tion chamber 2! is just-big enough 'to let the receptacles 22 pass so that the latter close the opening 28 against the :entry of warm air into the refrigeration-chamber i.

It is obvious that other modifications :can be made within 'the-scope'of this invention.

"-I claim:

*1. In a system for dispensing articles a refrigeration chamber adapted to maintain the inside temperature at least at freezing point; a plurality of independently operable storage and releasing means insaidchamber for the 'storage of articles and for their selective release, each said storage and releasing means including a movable member "for'supporting"articles of one kind, selectively operabledriving means 'for selectively moving said member to "release'an ar-- ticle therefrom and means for -jogg ling said stored articles "to prevent their freez'ing to each other and to said storage and releasing means;

beingprovided with cleats to convey a rocking .movementto said articles, when said belts pass underneath saidzarticles; driving means for each of .said belts selectively operable for the release of said artioles from said belts; and means operable to stop 'the release of articles from said belts while .saidbelts are in motion.

3..-In a systemfor dispensing articles a refrigeration chamber adapted to maintain the inside temperature at least at freezing point and including a plurality of movable belts for the storage of articles Ithereon; means :for; jogglingzsaid stored .articles driving .means for said movable belts arranged outside said refrigeration chamber and "adapted for the selective movementrof any of said movable belts; conveyingmeansi in said refrigeration I chamber common to a plurality of said movable belts and adapted to convey articlesreleased from said belts to apredetermined locality; and driving. means for-said conveying means arranged outside-said refrigeration chamber and operable simultaneously with the said driving=means-.ofrany-of=said movable belts.

4. In a system foi dispensing articlesarefrigeration chamber as claimed in claim 3, .said refrigeration chamber ---being zfitted with a door opening at the back of said movable belts where the upper parts .of said belts .moving to- .the middle ofsaid chamber are freely accessib'leto facilitate loading of :said belts.

5. Ina systemfor dispensing articles arefrigeration chamberadapted tomaintain the inside temperature at least at freezing pointand includinga plurality of movable belts for-the storage .of articles and for .their selective release therefrom; .means for ,joggling .sai'd stored .arti: cles; conveyingmeans common 'to a plurality "of said movable .beltsto tco'nvey'articles released from said movable J belts to a predetermined Zlocality; and driving means ."for said .mova'bleibelts arranged outside said refrigeration chamber. and adapted for the selective movement of any of said .movable .belts, said movable belts 'being guided lunderneath said conveying means through openings in a .wall of.sai'd.refrigeration chamberfor connecting. said belts with said 'driving means.

6. Inasystem for.dispensing .articlesa refrigeration chamber adapted to. maintain the inside temperature atleast atfreezingpoint and'including a plurality of movable belts for the storage of v.articlesithereon; means for :j oggling. said. s'tore'c'l articles; :a collector ibelt passing said lmovable belts, driving :means for said movable :belts and including a hinged :fiap, rnormally closing .said

chute and adapted to be raised by articles dis; charged from said collector belt through :said chute.

7. .In a.= system for=.dispensing articles a refrig eration chamber adapted to maintain the inside temperature at least at freezing point and including a plurality of movable belts for the storage of articles thereon; means for joggling said stored articles; plurality of said movable belts; driving means for said movable belts and said collector belt arranged outside said refrigeration chamber; said collector belt passing through an opening in a wall of said refrigeration chamber, said opening being closed by a movable flap adapted to be raised by articles conveyed by said collector belt.

8. In a system for dispensing articles a refrigeration chamber adapted to maintain the inside temperature at least at freezing point and including a plurality of movable belts for the storage of articles thereon; means for joggling said stored articles; conveying means common to a plurality of said movable belts, and consisting of a series of receptacles linked together; driving means for said movable belts and said conveying means arranged outside said refrigeration chamber; and an'opening for said conveying means in a wall of said refrigeration chamber, said opening having the same shape as the sides of said receptacle.

9. In a system for dispensing articles a refrigeration chamber adapted to maintain the inside temperature at least at freezing point; a plurality of movable belts in said chamber for the storage of articles and for their selective release therefrom; means for juggling said stored articles; conveying means common to a plurality of said movable belts to convey articles released from said belts to a predetermined locality; a flap arrangement hinged across a plurality of said movable belts and connecting said movable belts with said conveying means and including electrical contacts mounted on said flap opposite each of said movable belts and operable by articles released from said movable belts; and an airtight resilient envelope enclosing said flap with said electrical contacts.

10. In a system for dispensing articles a refrigeration chamber adapted to maintain the inside temperature at least at freezing point; a plurality of movable belts in said chamber for the storage of articles thereon, each of said belts being provided with cleats to convey a rocking movement to said articles when said belts pass a collector belt common to a.

6 underneath said articles; conveying means passing said movable belts; driving means for said movable belts and said conveying means; a flap hinged across a plurality of said movable belts and in its normal position sloping down from said movable belts to said conveying means; means to automatically start and stop the driving means for said movable belts at predetermined time intervals to eliminate freezing up; and further means associated with said flap to raise said flap when said movable belts are started and to lower said flap when said movable belts are stopped again.

11. In a system for dispensing articles a refrigeration chamber adapted to maintain the inside temperature at least at freezing point, a plurality of movable belts in said chamber for the storage of articles and for their selective release therefrom, each of said movable belts being provided with cleats; conveying means common to a plurality of said movable belts to convey articles released from said belts to a predetermined locality; driving means for said movable belts and said conveying means; means to automatically start and stop the driving means of said conveying means depending on the operation of the driving means of said movable belts; and further means for delaying the stopping of the driving means of said conveying means for such a time period that articles released on to said conveying means from the movable belts most distant from the point ofdelivery are safely discharged from said conveying means.

THOMAS SAMUEL SKILLMAN.

REFERENCES C ITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,645,694 Esgro Oct. 18, 1927 1,975,973 Rairden Oct. 9, 1934 2,024,675 Worrall Dec. 17, 1935 2,071,770 Shield Feb. 23, 1937 2,276,294 Farmer Mar. 17, 1942 2,300,229 ,Knowles Oct. 27, 1942 2,353,638 Beaulieu et al July 18, 1944 2,416,870 Farmer Mar. 4 1947 

